Steam-trap



H. MITCHELL.

Steam-Trap.

No. 224,600. Patented Feb. 17, 1880.

N. PETERS, FHDTO'LITHQGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

y f UNITED STATES OFFICE.

HENRY MiToHELL, or PATnnsoN, NEW JERSEY.`

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming para of Letters Patent No. 224,600, dated February 1v, 1880.

n Application filed May `3, 1879.

` To all whom t may concern:

lBeit known that I, HENRY MITCHELL, of

the city of Paterson, county of` Passaic, and

the` following is a specification. i

The object of my invention is `to `provide a steam-trap constructed so as` to procure equal expansion of the valve on all sides; and the invention consists in ahollow slide-valve which is arranged in a metal case. The valve and `case encircling the valve have corresponding `steam-ports to admit the steam and water of condensation through the valve to a metal ball which is located directly under the valve, and with which the 'stem of the valve connects. The valve, being cylindrical in form, is kept from turning by two wires, whichrun through a flange on the lower end of the valve, the wires being fastened at the bottom to a plate that is screwed on a plate on the bottom ofthe steam-chest.

The valve is located in the steann-chest, it being secured to the bottom plate of the steamchest, and works therein. The steam-chestis held in `position in a water-tank by a supplypipe which is secured to the side of the watertank, in which all are arranged.

The space between the outer case of the valve is open and unobstructed, so as to let the steam and water of condensation circulate `freely all around the valve-case, whereby equal expansion is secured to all sides of the valve. The valveexpands agreeably with the expansion of the valve-case lunder the influence of the steam and water ofcondensation encircling the valve-case in the steam-chest. Thus all the parts expanding equally secures to y the `valve greater uniformity of action with greater 40` certainty of its performing its functions by its being entirely free from obstructions, which would be otherwise if equal expansion of the parts were not secured; and the inventionl further consists `in a metal ball to which the stem of the valve is connected by being screwed therein. valve, works the valve. The ball `is provided with two pipesthat are screwed therein. 'Ihe4 pipes arecurved at the outer ends, the short curved pipe being an ingress and egress pipe,

The ball, being located under theV while the long curved one is an overliow and ventpipe.

The long curved pipe is arranged in overflow-tubes arranged oneach side of the watertank, into which tank the trap is arranged. In the bottom of the water-tank there is` arranged a disch arge or waste pipe, by which the water is discharged from the ball through the tubes on the tank into which the longcurved pipe is arranged. The overflow-tube conducts the water of condensation to the discharge or waste pipe, by which the water may be conducted away by attaching thereto a pipe for that purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a front view, showing the general arrangement of pipes,`&c. Fig. 2 is an end view, showing the manner of connecting thesteam-chest with the water-tank by means of 7o which pass down through the valve to keepl the valve from turning. b b indicate the chamber formed between the valve-case and steam-chest for the circulation of steam and water of condensation. c indicates the ball. d indicates the ingress and egress pipe. eindicates the overtlow and vent-pipe; ff, overtlows in the tank. g indicates the discharge or waste pipe. h indicates the supply-pipe. a a2 indicate steam-ports.

The operation of my device is as follows: The water of condensation and steam from the pipes enter the stem-chest B through the pipe h, enter the ports a a?, and are conducted through the valve a, to the ball c, and when the pipe d has inducted sufficient water into the ball c from the tank A to cause the ball c to sink and the valve a to slide down, andthe port in the valve to present itself opposite the ports o a2, the steam enters and eXpels the water from the ball c, and as soon as the water is expelled from the ball c the same becomes light and buoyant and rises and forces the ports in the valve a past the ports c a? in the valve-case, thereby preventing the further escape of steam until the ball c becomes again charged from the ingress-pipe d, which is al- IOO Ways below the water-level in the tank A, as shown in Fig. 1. The overflow or vent pipe being arranged in one of the overflow-tubes f f in the tank A, as seen in Fig. 1, gives free vent for the speedy induction of water from the tank A through the ingress-pipe dinto the ball c.

By this method the ports are presented for the action of the water and steam every few seconds, securing thereby a reliable automatic action without the escape of steam, except what is sufficient to expel the water from the ball c, as before stated. The vent-pipe c also acts as a siphon, which, when the steam is turned oft' and the trap placed lower than the lowest point ofthe steanrpipes, will sipbon or conduct the water of condensation which may run from the pipes into the ball c, also all of the water from the tank A down to the mouth ofthe egress-pipe d, acting thus as a guard against freezilflg by leaving plenty of space for expansion in the tank and ball. The overflowtubes ff conduct all the water from the ball to the waste-pipe g after it has been expelled from the ball by the action of the steam, as before stated, or when siphoned out by the overflow or vent pipe e.

What I claim as new, and desire' to obtain i by Letters Patent, in a steam-trap, is-

1. The hollow slide-valve a, the valve being provided with wiresA 1 and 2, which keep the valves from turning, the valve having' a case encircling it, the valve and case having cor responding steam-ports, through which the steam andwater of condensation pass to the ball c, in combination with the steam-chest B, secured to tank A by pipe h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the ball c and valve a, the ball being provided with pipes e and d, with the tank A, the tank having overlowtubes ff and waste-pipe g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth."

HENRY MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN INGLIS, KITTIE INGLIs. 

